Unfortunately, the boss encounters are few and far between. It would actually have been better if there were more boss fights and fewer random enemies, but that's just a small gripe.

The graphics in Thor look amazing on the DS, but I I like the retro aesthetic. Thor and his enemies are made out of fluidly-moving sprites like you might expect to find in games like Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow. The stages have painted-on backgrounds, which can get a little boring, but they move dynamically as Thor wanders throughout the environments. Even the hitsparks feel satisfying in an anime-fighting-game sort of way. Even though the game doesn't do anything graphically that we haven't seen before, I still think the fluid sprites are a treat to look at. That gives the game points in my book.

There isn't a whole lot of replay value in Thor. There's a survival mode, but the combat is repetitive enough already without making it infinite. Sadly, the game only lasts about four hours. Even though the pacing is off at times and you'll have to put down the game due to the tediously long levels, it still feels unfulfillingly short when it's all over. Four hours is just not enough to warrant the game's thirty-five dollar price tag.

Thor for the DS is not one of the better games out there. Heck, there are way better action titles for the DS. However, I wasn't looking for a great game. I was just looking for a Thor game that was semi-decent. Thor for the DS is more than semi-decent, it's full-on decent. It's a game that I honestly had fun with despite its flaws. Far too often, movie games are failures, but Thor for the DS is at least a bit better than your standard franchise flop.

By
Angelo M. D’Argenio
CCC Contributing Writer

RATING OUT OF 5

RATING DESCRIPTION

3.7

GraphicsMaybe it's just me, but sprites always look good, and this game does sprites well. It reminds me of the old school comic based beat 'em ups from the SNES and Genesis eras.

3.0

ControlGet ready to button mash some more, because that's basically what the combat system is. At least you look good while doing it.

2.5

Music / Sound FX / Voice ActingThe game is sadly lacking in the sound and music areas. It's not that it's bad, it's just that the generic quality of the sound effects and soundtrack is really apparent through the DS speakers.

3.5

Play ValueThe long levels get tedious at times, but the pacing is just good enough to get you through the game.

3.6

Overall Rating - GoodNot an average. See Rating legend below for a final score breakdown.

Review Rating Legend

0.1 - 1.9 = Avoid

2.5 - 2.9 = Average

3.5 - 3.9 = Good

4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy

2.0 - 2.4 = Poor

3.0 - 3.4 = Fair

4.0 - 4.4 = Great

5.0 = The Best

Game Features:

First 2011 Summer Blockbuster: Following Marvel's $620M hit Iron Man 2, the Thor film will be backed by a bigger marketing campaign, generating huge franchise awareness.

Become the God of Thunder: Step into the role of Thor and wield the mighty hammer, Mjölnir, in Thor's first standalone game.

Superhuman Elemental Powers: Unleash Mjölnir's primal storm powers of lightning, thunder, and wind. Electrocute throngs of trolls or split the ground in two with an earthshaking thunder attack that knocks frost giants to the ground.

Epic Combat: Use brawn and brains as you bash opponents with hammer attacks and throw combos. Scale titanic frost giants and trolls using multiple grappling points to find and attack weak spots.